4

Lost in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by meadows stretched as far as the eye can see, Naruto was on the verge of tearing the white mask off his face, finding himself craving the warm rays of sunshine on his skin. Alas, as an anbu, he was expected to wear it constantly, unless his Captain thought otherwise. Captain Chiho Hyuuga, a sadistic, controlling and heartless woman, had failed to give him her blessings, when she had summoned him inside her cold office, to give him his new assignment. She always exuded an air of frustration, like she was a martyr. However, this time, he had sensed something else. Recalcitrance. It was indeed strange that someone like him would be tasked to escort a member of the diplomatic branch of Konoha, seeing as they had a bunch of anbus regularly working them—which he wasn't part of. He was just a last-minute replacement; his captain had told him with her glaring white eyes.

Who was he to go against his superior's orders?

As fate would have it, what had started as a gloomy perspective of having to travel from Konoha to the capital, had turned into an opportunity upon learning the diplomat's identity: Hinata Hyuuga. Alas, his current teammate was determinate to undermine his plan.

Naruto glanced at the white-haired anbu, Shun Nuzura, a member of the Soma, a powerful clan that had settled in Konoha after the fourth shinobi war. "Hoi! I'm hungry."

"We're to guard the door, Uzumaki-san," Shun said, with a hint of exasperation.

"Look around you! There's nobody here. Can you even recall the last time we saw any traveler on the road?"

"That's because we purposely avoided the main road."

"I'm…just saying nobody's going to ambush us here. Come on, let's go inside."

"Nice try, Uzumaki," Shun said, as he blocked the way to the Inn's door. "I'm starting to see where Haruno-san took her impulsiveness."

"Oi, Shun!" Naruto shouted, ticked off. "I've been cool with you. Never stood in the way of you getting close to Sakura-chan! Aye! I've noticed you spending more and more time with her."

"She's to become my cousin's sensei. I had to get to know her."

Naruto clicked his tongue, "Don't lie. I've seen your looks. You wish to protect her, don't you? Well, guess what? She doesn't need you! She has her own family already, and I swear your little visits to her place will end if you don't let me pass."

"You're surprisingly possessive Uzumaki-san, and I understand it. You care deeply about Haruno-san. Still, I firmly believe who your friend decides to invite within her home is not up to you."

"Says the man whose clan forbid women to leave their neighborhood."

Shun remained silent this time, which made Naruto smile smugly. He had won one round. The white-haired Soma was visibly offended.

"So, are you going to let me pass or not?"

"No."

"I'm just going to grab some food, come on!"

"No. You're going to bother her," Shun stated, as if it were a premonition. "Hinata-san has requested not to be left alone with you."

"Eh, you make it sound like I'm some sort of pervert!"

"Perhaps you are."

"Don't you people worship me?"

"Hai. Many of my kindred do. But I've been more exposed to Konoha's ways since our arrival. More than them. I've found legends can be rather…disappointing."

Unbeknownst to Shun, Naruto had chosen another strategy to reach his ends. Famous or not, he counted on Shun's ignorance to make his very simple plan work. While his clone was still arguing with his anbu colleague, Naruto had made his way inside the picturesque inn from its backdoor. Hinata Hyuuga was exactly where he expected her to be. Sit at a table, her ample, beige travelling clothes covering her godly figure, she was quietly enjoying a warm miso soup, unaware of his presence.

Not beating around the bush, Naruto walked to her like he owned the place, under the suspicious gaze of the innkeeper. He sat in front of Hinata and removed his anbu mask, revealing his typical warm smile. It took a long awkward silence before she rose her pearly eyes from her meal, to stare at him with like she was trying to search his soul. Her brows frowned in both concentration and anger, her small nose and pursed lips all triggered something within Naruto. It felt exactly like that day he had met her at Ichiraku's ramen for the first time in years.

"Hinata," he mumbled, gathering his courage. "I made a fool of myself that night, I— I just completely misunderstood everything, and I really owe you an apology. I'm just stupid!" The frown on her face became more pronounced, which in turn made Naruto's anxiety spike. "I swear I didn't mean to— I didn't mean to disrespect you!"

Her stare hardened. It seemed like she was going to say something, at last, but she changed her mind, and resumed eating her warm meal. She had toughened up. Her position as a Konoha diplomat demanded it. As Naruto realized earning her respect wouldn't be easy, heavy footsteps behind him caught his attention. Soon they were surrounded by a group of strangers who were sitting at the surrounding tables.

They're not even trying! Naruto thought.

Naruto glanced at the Hyuuga's heiress. She was fixated on her soup, seeming unaware of her surroundings. He looked through the cracked windows then, searching for the shape of the white-haired Soma. His unfortunate absent teammate. Shinobis were not supposed to be taken by surprise. They lurked in shadows, and once they returned to the light, it was already too late to escape.

It dawned on him that his opportunity to make peace with Hinata had only lasted two minutes. He started laughing then, containing himself at first until he lets all his frustration and anxiety out. Hinata's eyes were finally on him, and so were the stranger's, all taken aback by his maniac laughs.

He caught some motion from the corner of his eyes. A giant samurai stood over him, his right hand hugging his katana's pommel, as if he was holding a holy trinket. It was unusual to see them work with shinobis. But again, chakra wielders of the Sound were just a bunch of lunatics who cared about nothing but causing devastation in their wake.

"Is there something funny, kid?"

Even some of his minions were smiling, both out of empathy and unease. That was the power of laughter, triggered by the unexpected or simply by absurdities. A strange noise from the backend of the inn made everyone's head turn. The canvas on the wall was trembling, as if it were alive, rattling again and again against the wood. Naruto seized this chance to look straight at Hinata, with alarmed eyes, interrupting his clownish performance just a fraction of a second.

"What the hell is wrong with that painting!"

Naruto's fist traveled in one swift motion into the Samurai's face. The force of his blow made him stumble onto the table behind him, which broke apart under the sudden heavy load. A swarm of Narutos invaded the entire Inn then, multiplying in every corner of the room like an unstoppable chain reaction, suffocating every living being inside. There were sounds of punches, screams, insults, and furniture being broken—the innkeeper would be granted compensation for this.

Naruto and Hinata were already far away from this chaos, as they rushed through the high grass of the meadows, eager to escape the shinobis of the Sound. Out in the open like this, within the most unpractical biome to hide, they had no choice but to move forward. They climbed and went down hills after hills, hoping to find a semblance of a forest, a patch of darkness large enough to hide. After half an hour of sprint, they finally discerned a large wooded area spreading as far as the eyes can see and rushed through it without further due. When they found an old bridge that spanned a shallow stream, they took refuge underneath.

They were both slightly out of breath after running at such a fast pace for so long. Naruto took in the sight of his serene companion. For someone who was being targeted by a gang of twenty men, she seemed very composed. She adjusted meticulously her clothes, like she intended to make a formal speech in front of an audience. A sound of splashing water, caused by a rabbit in a hurry, triggered her byakugan, reminding Naruto she wasn't just some defenseless emissary to protect. She was the heiress of one of the most powerful clans of the Fire country. Even if she hadn't chosen the same path as her kindred, she was still a kunoichi very able to defend herself.

"Sorry about this," Naruto blurted out.

Hinata looked at him questioningly.

He scratched his neck and grinned behind his mask. "They ruined your miso soup, didn't they?"

Of course, his little joke didn't impress her.

"Look, Hinata," he spoke carefully, coming closer to her. "I meant what I said that night. I'll do what you wish to fix my mistakes. I get that the way I barged into your room that night came across as—" he looked at her chest for a second, feeling grateful that she couldn't see his eyes, thanks to his mask,"…it was stupid. I just can't stand to see this hatred in your eyes, knowing that I somehow hurt you—"

"I don't hate you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat upon hearing her soft voice.

"I'm angry at myself," she admitted, while looking away in shame. "For even after all these years, my heart— my heart still flutters at the sight of you."

"R— Really?" Naruto stammered, unable to process her unexpected admission. She remained quiet, hiding her slightly redden face in her hands. And finally, he found it. A glimmer of hope blooming inside him. He felt suddenly euphoric, like he had just won something precious.

Alas, the bridge was all but a sanctuary. Familiar shadows had gathered around each side of the bridge's arch, barring them any way out, this time. Naruto's ephemeral victory gave room to a more ominous reality.

He chuckled. "Guys, this is the second time you're interrupting, us. What are you even doing here to begin with? Aren't you supposed to fight your civil war in the Land of Sound, or something?"

"We wouldn't need to fight our own people, if this bitch didn't decide to side with our enemy. Our coward of Daimyo escaped because of her!"

"Do you seriously believe she's the one who made the choice to send Konoha's anbus to your daimyo's aid?"

"You don't know shit!" the samurai hissed. "Your smooth-talking ways won't work with us, Jinchuriki."

"Ah! So you know who I am… Yet, you're still…here?" Naruto mocked.

"I suggest you come with us quietly, if you don't want to see your white-haired teammate cut into tiny pieces."

Shun Nuzura.

Naruto had completely forgotten about his teammate. It couldn't tell whether they were bluffing or not, and so he sighed in defeat, as he removed his white mask. "I guess it's a win for you, guys. Must feel strange seeing as you've never won any war—"

"Keep quiet! Before I make you swallow your tongue!" the tall Samurai roared. "Hand us your weapons and put these on. Now."

Naruto grimaced at the sight of the chakra-inhibitor's bracelets, which reminded him of painful times. They hardly work on him, but of course he wasn't going to let this old man know. He deliberately took his time to shed his multiple kunais and shurikens, while watching Hinata do the same.

He caught her cautious eyes, waiting for his signal. Being tasked to protect and escort her to the Capital, he was the one calling the shot. But Shun had been captured. As much as the Soma's behavior had annoyed him, abandoning him was simply out of the question.

"Are you done, yet?"

"Hai, but she's still hiding something up her sleeve, something that might destroy us all!" he made his way towards Hinata. "I must—"

"Don't move any further, Jinchuriki."

Naruto obeyed, not without shaking his head. He was amused by all the suspicious eyes on him, by these men and women whose instinct was telling them to run. Despite their advantageous position, they were still afraid of the beast.

"She's a diplomat, with highly classified information, guys. Do you think any sensitive nation would send someone like her with just two anbus? Don't tell me you've never heard of the secret, forbidden jutsu of diplomats?"

Naruto watched their stupid, credulous faces, and started laughing at them. "What, you truly don't know?"

"Get to the point."

"We have a story in Konoha" he continued, "the story of Juntaro the greatest emissary the Fire Country has ever known. One night, during a mission in the Land of Rice, he got captured by a bunch of bandits, just like you guys—"

"We're not bandits."

"Right, whatever. Juntaro was never found again! The man died with his secrets, and so did his loyal anbus guards."

"What of the bandits?"

"Gone! When a search party investigated the bandits' hideout, all they found was dust! Nothing else! I don't know about you, guys, but I sure don't want to die under this shitty bridge. She might look—" he made a gesture towards Hinata, fighting not to lose his composure upon seeing she looked as disturbed as their captors, "inoffensive with her pretty face, but…as you said, she's the one responsible for your war. Who knows what she's ready to sacrifice to keep her secrets with her…"

"What do you suggest, then?" the exasperated bandit asked.

"Let me speak with her." Naruto said with confidence. "Let me convince her no to turn us into dust!"

"She won't be able to use her chakra."

Naruto let out a nervous laugh. "I bet that's what Juntaro's bandits thought too, right?"

The samurai of the Sound seemed thoughtful, as he looked at the worried expressions of his comrades. After a short moment, he said reluctantly, "Go on. You better not try to do anything fishy."

Naruto rushed to his companion at once, knowing his moment of glory wouldn't last long. "Hinata," he started with a grave ton, as he laid his palms on her shoulders. "I don't want to die with regrets, do you?"

She blinked in confusion, seemingly trying to find a hidden meaning behind his words. He wished he had a secret escape plan to share with her. However, there was none. None that involved their official mission. His friends sometimes accused him of selfishness, and for once, they would be right. There wasn't anything respectable about his selfish intentions. Even if he hated the idea of disappointing her, he had made up his mind already. The life of a shinobi could end in an instant, after all.

"I wasn't entirely honest with you."

He felt her body stiffen under his hands. As expected. Turning his head to his wary public, he offered them a false reassuring smile. They weren't going to enjoy the spectacle, but perhaps the least uptight would.

His eye fell on the woman before him, on her ethereal lavender eyes, her delicate nose and her porcelain skin. Her long indigo hairs were framing her fair complexion and seemed to shine like the softest silk. He felt the sudden urge to bring her closer to him, to feel everything of her. Instead, he fought against his longing, his instincts, just enough to lean against her ear, and whisper in a low voice full of promises, "I seek more than your forgiveness."

He leaned back and took a brief look at her shocked expression, her parting, inviting lips. "Don't hate me for doing this—"

As he cupped her face in one hand, Naruto pressed his lips against hers, giving in to the urge that had kept him awake at night for weeks now. But he hardly had time to savor her warmth, her taste, or enjoy the rush of emotions and desire flooding his mind, for darkness suddenly welcomed him, making him fall backward into nothingness.

Shinobis of the Land of Sound didn't like being taken for fools.

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Hope you enjoyed this!